Conclusion to The Gift
by epiphanies
Summary: A nice ending to the series. Happens post-Gift and has no follow up. Just some nice and comfy closure.


Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Last Episode 

  
  


*Note: Buffy IS NOT raised from the dead in this. I just think it's a nice follow up/conclusion to The Gift*

  
  


Previously, On Buffy the Vampire Slayer.....

(shows Buffy realizing that Dawn is the key, Dawn finding out, Spike telling Buffy that he loves her, "Death is your gift", "I know you'll never love me, but you treat me like a man..." Buffy beating Glory/Ben, Giles killing them, "Shallow cuts", Buffy realizing that she has to jump, then last minute to the "The Gift" from Buffy jumping.)

  
  


We hear sounds in the background, then see Dawn sitting on a bench in the courthouse, a stony expression on her face, then backs up to show one side sitting Spike and Giles and one side sitting a man that we know of as her father and his slutty secretary (wearing a cleavage showing dress top), and all looking extremely serious.

  
  


(Credits)

  
  


Dawn's father stands.

"Your honour, this girl is my daughter, therefor my flesh and blood. I demand to have full custody!"

"I object." Giles says calmly, "This girl that you speak of is, as you say, your flesh and blood. That is true, but she had been abandoned by you in the young age of ten. You have not seen her for five years, nor talked or written to her. Do you expect her to have that certain fatherly respect that most loving and dedicated fathers receive from their children?"

"Absurd! Your honour..." Dawn's father starts to purple in the face.

Dawn stands.

"Your honour? Do I have your permission to speak?"

The judge nods at Dawn curiously.

Dawn raises her head high and walks up to the front and centre of the room.

"Your honour, I have to say a few words before getting to my point. Father," she stares at the man who left her when she was ten, "you abandoned me. You left your family for a little rendevous with you secretary. You are married now, and have a little one on the way. Up until I was ten, I considered you the best daddy I could get. You were always there for me. Until you started staying late at work. That day that you left was one of the most horrible days I have ever had. But not nearly the most horrible. I remember how I felt. Confused. Alone. Abandoned. A true, loving father never would have put me through that." Dawn turned to Giles and Spike, " But I do have a father, biologically. I am lucky enough to have one, even though I no longer have a mother or sister. But really, I consider myself an orphan. Or, I should say, I would if I didn't have these two. These two men have been there for me, one since my real father left, one since about two years ago. Mr Rupert Giles and William. Both of you have been there for me, helping me through. I know- I know Buffy would have wanted you two to look after me, I know that she wanted me kept away from the monster who left us, who didn't even attend his ex-wife's funeral. The monster who wouldn't even come and visit his two daughters that were left alone to deal with the world, one who had dropped out of college to take care of her ailing mother, one who was fresh out of her first year in high school. Giles....William....you are my family. You and the others that Buffy and I both love so much. You were the best and only family I had, there for us no matter what. You took care of the funeral arrangements when I felt that I couldn't, you kept me with you when I had nowhere else to go. You care for me more than anything, and I feel the same way about you. Giles, I consider you my true father. William, my brother. Thank you both so much for caring so much about my family, for my mother, for my sister, and for me. My sister, just before she died, she told me something. Something that I know I wouldn't be able to do unless I was with the ones that I held dear. Buffy told me that we had to stay together, we had to be strong. She said that the hardest thing in this world was to live in it. She told me to be brave, and live. For her. I know I'll be able to carry that through if I'm living with my loved ones. Please take this into account, your honour, because if you're trying to sort out the best living conditions for me, I assure you that it will be with my true family."

Dawn wiped the tears from her eyes and sat back down.

Spike stared at her with sad eyes, and Giles's shone with hope as the judge shuffled his papers.

"I have come to a conclusion," he said quietly, and smiled smally at Dawn.

"Full custody is granted to Mr Rupert Giles, full visitation rights to Mr. Summers and William."

Dawn beamed through her mask of tears, and ran over to Giles and Spike, who both caught her in a hug.

"We won, Little Bit," Spike smiled at her, and kissed her forehead.

"Yeah." she smiled.

  
  
  
  


Meanwhile, the gang sat at the magic shop at the round table.

Xander stared at Buffy's spot.

Anya massaged his shoulder.

"Guys, what do you think will happen if her dad gets...?" Willow began, and Tara leaned on her shoulder.

"Look, hon. I'm sure they'll get it. Almost sure..." Tara said quietly.

"They'd better. I mean, why would her father want her anyways, if he didn't want her before..." Anya piped up.

"That doesn't matter. I just hope they win....you know that's what Buffy would have wanted...." Xander gulped, then lay his head down on the table.

Just then, Giles, Spike and Dawn came through the door.

"Well?" Willow stood up anxiously.

" We won." Dawn smiled as they all came to hug her.

"Just what she would have wanted." said Spike quietly but a small smile playing at his lips.

"Yes....yes I think so exactly." Giles said, wiping his glasses off.

"Hey, Giles....Spike?" Dawn pulled them away.

"Yes, Dawn? What is it?" 

"Um, well...thanks. Really, thank you."

They all hugged again, then Spike piped up.

"Hey....where are the living arrangements going to be? At Rupert's...or...." he trailed, but they both knew what he was thinking.

"That is still to be seen, I think. But we'll let you know as soon as possible."

"Wait, Giles..."

"What is it?"

"Well....do you think that....maybe...Spike could live with us? Like, in a room with no windows or something? I mean, he did make that promise to Buffy to take care of me..." Dawn said persuasively.

Giles's eyes widened, "Well....I suppose so...what do you think, Spike?"

Spike grinned "Well yeah! I mean...sure."

Dawn beamed up at him, tears shining in her eyes.

  
  
  
  



End file.
